Ascent of Lookout Tower Hill on 2012-08-25

Ascent Trip Report

We parked in the lay-by behind and adjacent to the North Rim entrance station despite the Park Ranger on duty being initially a little cagey about confirming that this was the best place to park if we wanted to visit the tower (we later found out from another Ranger that the Edward Abbey connection has previously attracted some undesirable types of people - I thought highpointers were strange enough!).

Ignore the signs "Private Residence" and "Service Road Only" and walk up the track towards a house, but veer around to the left, past the locked forest road gate and then continue on the easy track, co-incident with the Arizona Trail, to the high point, lookout tower and a delapidated hut previously used by author, environmentalist & anarchist Edward Abbey (within which is a remarkably preserved dead porcupine). The metal frame of the tower is a little warped and scary to ascend but gives great views above the trees to the Big Ditch and the San Franscisco peaks to the south (the lookout cabin itself is locked).

Didn't find any summit register but visited the adjacent equivalently high contour areas.